Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 1206 of 1503)

      Angels trade for Braves’ Mark Teixeira

      July 29, 2008 /

      ESPN.com’s Keith Law reports the Los Angeles Angels have traded for Atlanta Braves’ first basemen Mark Teixeira. The Braves acquire Casey Kotchman and minor league pitcher Stephen Marek in the deal.

      Kotchman was pulled off the field during pregame warmups at Fenway Park on Tuesday afternoon, further fueling speculation that a deal was in place.

      Teixeira was traded to the Braves from the Texas Rangers in a deadline deal last season, but he is in the last year of his contract. With Atlanta falling out of contention, it seemed logical that the team would try to move him.

      The switch-hitting Teixeira is batting .283 with 20 home runs and 78 RBIs this season.
      Kotchman, who is known as much for his defense at first base as his bat, is batting .287 with 12 homers and 54 RBIs for the first-place Angels.

      Some consider Teixeira overrated, but there’s no doubt he gives the Angels’ lineup another quality bat. L.A. had to give up one of their top minor league pitching prospects in Marek and a 25-year old developing talent in Kotchman, but by adding Teixeira they may be the odds on favorites to win the World Series. (Especially considering how they’ve dominated the Red Sox this year.)

      MLB

      Report: Dodgers, Red Sox talking Manny Ramirez trade

      July 29, 2008 /

      The New York Post is reporting that the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox are talking about a trade that would send Manny Ramirez and cash to L.A. in exchange for either Matt Kemp or Andre Ethier. The Post also believes that if Boston unloads Ramirez, the club would likely make a move for Mark Teixeria of the Braves.

      The Mets have continued to talk to the Red Sox without much possibility of finding a deal for Ramirez. The main track now involves the Dodgers. An executive who has spoken with officials from an involved team said it is his understanding that Boston would eat most, if not all, of the roughly $7 million left on Ramirez’s 2008 contract and in exchange would receive a top youngster such as Matt Kemp or Andre Ethier.

      The Red Sox would then have another deal in place to obtain Teixeira, who like Ramirez is a Scott Boras client who can be a free agent at the end of the season. The Red Sox would view the overall switch-hitting offense/Gold Glove defense package of Teixeira combined with the removal of the Manny being Manny soap opera as a plus for this season. In addition, they would get an insider two-month look at Teixeira to determine if they want to make a strong, long-term bid on him or simply offset what they give up now to get him by getting two draft picks when he signs elsewhere this winter.

      While it seems foolish that the Red Sox would trade one of the best players and eat most of his salary, landing Kemp would be huge. He’s 13 years younger than Manny, hits for average and can run exceptionally well for a guy that is 6-2 and 230 pounds. Kemp might not develop into the power hitter Ramirez is, but he’s an exceptional player and surely the Sox are hoping to land him over Ethier.

      MLB, Rumors & Gossip

      MLB Trade Market Report

      July 29, 2008 /

      SI.com’s Jon Heyman breaks down the latest rumblings in MLB as the July 31st trade deadline rapidly approaches.

      1. Mark Teixeira, Braves 1B. With the Braves fading and most of their other stars hobbled, they appear all but certain to find a new home for the switch-hitting star on the cusp of free agency. It appears that the offensively-challenged Diamondbacks could be the leaders, with the Rays waiting to pounce if Arizona can’t cut a deal. The smart money’s on the D’backs, who have already offered Chad Tracy as part of a package. The Angels, Dodgers and Red Sox appear to be the other main players.

      2.Manny Ramirez, Red Sox, OF. Boston is now talking to the Dodgers and a couple other teams. However, most believe it will be nearly impossible for the Red Sox to trade Ramirez without hindering their World Series chances.

      Am I on the only one the least bit shocked that the Braves have fared so poorly this year? It’s amazing to think that they gave up their best hitting prospect in Jared Saltalamacchia to acquire Teixeira at the deadline last year, only to turn around and trade Teixeira this season.

      And it’s going to be fun to watch the chess match continue between Ramirez and the Red Sox. As Heyman points out, you don’t trade away one of your best power hitters and expect not to take a step back. But still, the situation continues to escalade and it’s time for Boston to either crap or get off the pot with Manny.

      MLB, Rumors & Gossip

      Top 10 Training Camp Pranks

      July 29, 2008 /

      RealClearSports.com compiled a list of the top 10 NFL training camp pranks.

      #5 Olin Kreutz Pranks Kyle Orton
      Fans are always asking for autographs at training camp, but players should be weary when another player is asking for an autograph. At Bears Camp in 2005 Bears’ Center Olin Kreutz asked rookie QB Kyle Orton if he could sign a helmet for his family. What Orton didn’t realize is that he had just signed his own helmet and would now have to practice in it.

      #2 Mike Alstott Gets The Last Laugh
      As a rookie sometimes it is best to just do what you’re told. In 2005, Mike Alstott asked rookie OT Chris Colmer to go get him a Gatorade. Instead, Colmer came back with a map detailing where Alstott could find the refrigerator. Colmer probably got a good laugh out of that until Alstott put Colmer’s car up on blocks and left a map on the windshield of the car detailing where he had left the tires.

      #1 Dilfer’s Prank Foiled
      Trent Dilfer might have won a Super Bowl, but he was not able to pull off his hilarious prank against center Robbie Tobeck. Dilfer smeared icy-hot inside Tobeck’s shorts, but Tobeck realized it before slipping on the pair. Just for thinking of such a painful prank Dilfer deserved payback. The pain that would have enveloped Tobeck had he put on those shorts would have been unimaginable. Putting that stuff anywhere stings, let alone a very sensitive area.

      Tobeck responded by purchasing the extremely potent coyote urine from an outdoors store. It’s used by hunters to attract coyotes, but Tobeck had a different use in mind. He covered Dilfer’s room in the pungent aroma which took Dilfer hours to scrub away.

      Imagine how many prank stories we don’t hear from training camps. Think about it, you have 80-plus grown men practicing twice (or three times) a day in 90-degree heat and that’s it. Two weeks of that. Something has to give.

      NFL

      Tuesday MLB Headliners: Cubs take down Sabathia

      July 29, 2008 /

      – The Chicago Cubs haven’t played the best ball since the All-Star Break, but maybe things are turning around for the club after they knocked off CC Sabathia and division rival Milwaukee 6-4 Monday night. For the second night in a row, Derrek Lee and Alfonso Soriano propelled the Cubs to victory. Lee went 3 for 5 and knocked in three runs, while Soriano hit his second HR in two games and chipped in three runs scored. Chad Gaudin, who the Cubs acquired in the Rich Harden trade, picked up his second win in two nights. Sabathia (6.2 IP, 9H, 4R, 3K) didn’t take the loss, but it was the first time he hasn’t won a start since being traded to the Brewers.

      – The Los Angeles Angels continue to own the Boston Red Sox. With their 7-5 win last night, the Angels have now beaten the BoSox four straight times since the All-Star Break and are 12-1 against them this season. Jered Weaver picked up his ninth win of the year, while the Halos used a six-run sixth to knock the usually stingy Dice-K (5.0 IP, 7H, 6R, 3K) out of the game.

      – The New York Yankees won eight straight to start the second half, but have since lost two in a row after the Baltimore Orioles smacked the Bronx Bombers 13-4 on Monday. Four O’s homered off Mike Mussiana, who was looking for his 14th win of the year. Newly acquired Yankee Xavier Nady did homer, however, as well did Johnny Damon.

      – With the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, everything stayed the same in the AL East. A.J. Burnett struck out 10, which might help the Jays cause in trading him with the deadline quickly approaching. The Rays are just 5-5 since the All-Star Break.

      – How about those Florida Marlins? With a 7-3 win over the New York Mets on Monday, the Marlins are now one game out of first in the NL East. Florida used a five-run eighth to burry their division rivals and will now look to claim part of the East on Tuesday night.

      MLB

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